Big Ten Network Rolls into Bloomington to Take a Look at The Hoosiers

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@sammyj108)

Football is finally in the air! As we slowly countdown the
days until kickoff the Big Ten Network is airing their annual season preview
show, starting with the Indiana Hoosiers.
The show gives viewers an insider look at practice while also discussing
the strengths, weaknesses, and the expectations for the 2013 Indiana
Hoosiers.  We are here to decipher
what is false hype, coach speak, and just plain old politics from what the
actual expectations for Hoosier football are for the upcoming season.

The expectations for the Hoosiers are as high as they have
ever been in the last decade for this team.  Big Ten Network analyst and former Hoosier head coach Gerry
Dinardo claims that this team “could absolutely be the best Indiana team since
they went to a bowl game in 2007.”
While that does not say very much about the 2013 squad analyst Howard
Griffith added that the Hoosiers “have a chance to do some special
things.”  Hold on a second, is this
really happening? Someone is buying into the Hoosiers being good on the
football field? As bizarre as this may sound, yes many people are pegging the
Hoosiers as the surprise team in the Big Ten.  Current Hoosier head coach Kevin Wilson is not quite buying
into the external expectations for his team saying, “I don’t know if we get a
lot of credit, so we try and stroke the chip on our shoulder.” Although this
may be seen as Wilson just playing dumb with the media, it is a smart maneuver
for the Hoosiers.  He knows they
were not good last year even though the team showed improvement, and he wants
his team to play with the same “we don’t get any respect” edge that many
successful underdogs implore.
Wilson is even less transparent about what defines success for this
team, stating “we don’t talk about a game, or a number of wins, or a bowl
game.  You can be a bowl team at
6-6 and lose that game and end (the season) with a losing record.” I don’t by
into the thinking of this team can be deemed a success without going to a bowl
game.  It is the third season under
Wilson and it is time for this team to make tangible improvements, have
something to put in the trophy case in Bloomington.

As everyone is well aware of by now, the offense is the
strength of the Indiana football team.
However, there are a few questions surrounding the program as they enter
camp.  Dinardo points out that
“this is a talented offense, they obviously need to make a decision at
quarterback and if it’s Tre Roberson it may change the style of the offense.”  The quarterback battle is dead even
between Roberson, Cam Coffman, and Nate Sudfeld.  Coffman says his mindset coming into practice is “just
coming every single day to compete and get better.”  The guy who is going to be the starter will be the one “who
can make plays and go out there and be a leader,” says Indiana offensive
coordinator Seth Littrel.  While it
is nice to have three quarterbacks, who can all play at the Big Ten level,
there needs to be a clear cut starter named soon if the Hoosiers are going to
have success this season.  While
most people are focused on the passing game of the Hoosiers, Howard Griffith is
excited about the Hoosier running game saying, “I like the running game, this
running game is going to be outstanding.”
These are words that have not been uttered about a Hoosier squad in
decades.  As we all know Indiana
has not had a 1,000-yard running back since 2001, however Griffith is correct
in being excited about the Hoosier run game.  Indiana returns three backs who have had significant playing
time in the Big Ten and all have proven to be successful.  The competition between senior Stephen
Houston and sophomore Tevin Coleman should pay off during the regular season as
both backs are pushing each other to be better.  Junior D’Angelo Roberts is a nice change of pace runner who
can put up some decent numbers and take some of the load off Coleman and
Houston.

It is time to bring the Hoosier faithful back down to earth
a little bit and talk about the defense, which was horrendous in 2012.  The story seemingly every season is can
the defense make enough stops to win games.  Most of the time the answer has been no and this season this
defense is replacing its two best players who graduated.  This does not mean that the defense
cannot improve though.  Kevin
Wilson touched on gauging improvement in practice saying, “I do think we are
stronger and we are staying on our feet better.”  Both of these aspects are crucial for a defense he calls
“more talented but inexperienced.”
How many times have we seen the defense thrown around like ragdolls,
especially against team with bigger, stronger offenses?  The defense is “still a work in
progress” as defensive coordinator Doug Mallory points out but, “we have in
going in the right direction” with “a little bit more depth, more
competition.”  These words are a
lot less hopeful than what has been said about the offensive side of the ball,
however there is some optimism that can be seen through the negativity.  More depth and better competition
should lead to more quality practice reps and players should develop quicker,
in addition the work in the weight room in the offseason should pay off when it
comes time to go up against the big boys from Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio
State.  This defense does not need
to be great it just needs to be good enough to hold opponents to under 30
points a game, limit big plays, and get off the field on third and longs.

This is the most excitement that has surrounded the program
since Terry Hoeppner roamed Bloomington, however with great expectations and
excitement comes the fear of massive disappointment.  From what has been seen throughout practice heading into the
fall there is good reason for the Hoosier fans to be legitimately thrilled for
this season to kickoff, and not just because of tailgate parties.  This team really does have a chance to
take the next step in changing the culture around the university and alumni
bases.  The offence has the talent
to be one of the best in the nation if they can continue to improve upon last
year’s success and start to finish more drives with touchdowns instead of
settling for short field goals.
That starts with an inside running game, which by all signs should be a
nice addition to this pass heavy offense.
While the defense will not be a strength in 2013, it should show enough improvement
with the infusion of young talent to not hold back this teams potential.  This season sets up beautifully for the
Hoosiers who play eight home games for the first time since 2008 and start with
the first five at Memorial Stadium.
The expectations are rightfully high and those first five games will
play a crucial role in whether or not this team reaches a bowl game.